Another Failed Apple Product Launch

Nobody buys those anymore; they’re too popular.

The iPad Air — or as I like to call it, “WANT” — is already seeing its shipping dates slipping. Apparently the high-capacity models are slipping first. I check availability on my preferred model, the 64GB in gray with Verizon coverage, which still shows a delivery date of 11/4.

I’m lusting after one, especially after seeing what the A7 SOC can do. Benchmarking shows it’s clocked slightly faster than the A7 in my iPhone (1.4Ghz versus 1.3Ghz) and absolutely blows away the A5X chip in my third-generation iPad.

Wow. Not bad for 18 months’ work, Apple. First thing I noticed though when Apple announced the iPad Air specs is that it does not have an “X” designation on the CPU. The last two models used an upgraded version of the current iPhone chip — the “X” marking the graphics co-processor needed to run the 3 million pixels of the Retina Display. But the A7 is so powerful that there is no A7X for the iPad. With a mere 725,000 pixels to push, it makes you wonder just how much untapped power there is inside each and every iPhone 5S.

But for now, my old iPad 3 still suits my needs just fine. Can’t honestly picture replacing it until it’s ready for the recycle bin. However, if I were in the market to buy the new one, I’d have hit that Buy button already before the ship date slips into “Whenevs” territory.

The really tough one to get will probably be the new iPad Mini very shortly after it debuts at the end of the month. Yields are reportedly low on the new Retina Display, and demand will be high as it’s functionally equivalent to the full-size iPad. Same 64-bit processor, same display resolution, same camera, same storage sizes — everything. But in a smaller, lighter package for $100 less. If you’re considering one as a Christmas of Chanukah gift, you might want to get in on the midnight ordering on launch day.